The teenagers were covering the yard of the home of Ken Bishop, the principal of Huntland High School in Estill Springs, Tennessee, when they were shot at.

“Some kids got out at a residence over there to roll it with toilet paper and this gentleman came out of his residence a couple of houses over and shot one of the teenagers who was rolling this other guy’s yard,” Sgt. Guess said.

Dale Bryant Farris, 65, a neighbor of Bishop, fired at least two shots with the pellets striking the teenager in the right foot, inner left knee, right palm, right thigh and right side of his torso above the waistline.

“The problem is they were not on his (Farris’) property and they were not doing anything to his property,” Sgt. Guess said.

Farris, who has been released on a $125,000 bond, has been charged with aggravated assault and another of reckless endangerment.

Mr Bishop did not seek to file charges against any of the teenagers, some who attended his school, said Sgt Guess.